Sixers flounder without Iverson, fall to Portland

With the game tied, the Trail Blazers got the ball to Randolph above the three-point line on the left wing with Alan Henderson trying to overplay him. Randolph quickly got the veteran on his hip and simply drove straight to the basket for an easy lay-in to win it.

Andre Iguodala’s desperation three at the buzzer wasn’t close as the reeling Sixers continued to find ways to lose.

Randolph finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who won their second straight game. Juan Dixon added 17 points off the bench while Ime Udoka chipped in 12.

Iguodala finished with a game-high 27 points for the dismal Sixers, who lost their eighth straight contest and for the 15th time in 17 games. Kyle Korver was the only other Philadelphia player in double figures with 10 points.

The Sixers again took the court without All-Star Allen Iverson. The enigmatic guard was inactive as Philadelphia continues to close in on trading him. Iverson has missed the team’s last three games after being sent home for his detrimental behavior.

Philadelphia took a slim four-point advantage into the final frame but Portland evened things at 63 before Philadelphia scored seven straight points to create some breathing room.

First, Henderson got loose inside for consecutive buckets, the second of which was a three-point play, and then Iguodala’s slam capped the mini-run to give the Sixers a 70-63 lead with 6:07 left.

The Blazers weren’t done, however, and slowly chipped away until Dixon’s driving pull-up deadlocked things at 76 with 1:13 left.

After the Sixers came up empty on two easy looks at the offensive end, Randolph corralled a miss and was fouled. The forward made 1-of-2 from the line to give Portland a one-point lead, 77-76, with 34.4 ticks left.

Philadelphia continued to come up empty on offense as Portland swiped the ball from Korver. Dixon was quickly fouled and hit both from the line to make it 79-76, with 20.8 on the clock.

The Sixers went to the pick-and-roll at the three-point line to try and tie things. The Blazers stuck with Korver who got the ball to a wide-open Webber. The embattled forward drained the three from the right wing, with only 13.4 ticks remaining, to even things at 82.

The Sixers scored just 13 points in the opening 12 minutes and trailed by six, 19-13, heading to the second quarter.

Philadelphia continued to struggle offensively in the second quarter and, and continued to trail, 43-37, at intermission.

The Sixers then finally eased ahead with a solid third quarter. Philadelphia outscored the Blazers 24-14 in the stanza to take a 61-57 edge into the fourth quarter.

Game Notes

Philadelphia’s starting forwards, Webber and Rodney Carney, were a dismal 2-13 from the floor. Carney finished 0-for-4 and Webber’s first field goal came with 4:41 left in the game.